Animagii
by GryffindorHealer
Summary: It's an Alternate Universe. With, you know, Alternate Events. And I was going to put Alternate Universe foundation facts into the summary, then I thought y'all are here because you like to read, so I simply worked them into the story.


AN: This story is for Char, because you gave me the idea, and for Tassie_Gal, because you introduced us, and for Pottermum, because she writes such brilliant AU.

All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.

**Prologue**

On 31 October 1933 young Tom Riddle ran into the road across the front of the orphanage where he lived. Trying to evade Mrs. Cole for one of the many times something strange happened to another resident child he dashed into the mixed traffic. He never saw the lorry that struck him from behind, crushing his skull against the iron bumper.

No one attended the funeral. After the graveside service, Father McKenzie wiped the soil from his hands. Heaving a soft sigh, he prayed silently because no one was saved.

– – – – –

In February 1980, James Potter wed Lily Evans a month and a half after she told him she carried his child. Their son, Harry James, came into the world on Thursday evening 31 July. Everyone called Harry a dead spit of his father, except for his mothers eyes.

The Potters marriage ended in divorce four years later. Their marriage being a civil (not Magical) union, the civil courts in Great Britain held jurisdiction over the dissolution. Those courts still holding a dim view about granting joint custody to a man who lived with another man in a one bedroom flat, James could only visit with Lily present. This he did as frequently as his professional Quidditch Chaser career allowed.

Lily worked hard making potions at an apothecary to support her tiny family. James provided school fees, Harry's clothing, and other support. And Harry grew up laughing at the stories Mum and Da and Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus told about meeting at Hogwarts and the pranks they made.

He didn't make any friends at school, tending to keep to himself since rather a lot of the other children his age would stop talking when he got near. Still, he heard what they were saying before they stopped, and often while he read a book either waiting for school to start, or during a recess. Things about him being a teacher's pet because he got good grades. Things about not having a dad, or even more directly about his Da. Several more than a few thought it a good sport to Harry Hunt. That simply made him better at eluding them.

When James and Sirius left at the end of his ninth birthday party, he asked his Mum what happened, why had she and Da stopped being married and Da started living with Uncle Padfoot.

Lily sighed. 'Harry, we all love each other as best of friends, as chosen family. But sometimes, sometimes people are just… wired differently. None of us were particularly happy, and I love your dad so much, I wanted him to be happy. When we re-arranged things so he could be with Padfoot, well, we're all happier now.' Harry looked into his mothers eyes, like looking into his own in the mirror.

'Are you happy, Mum?' Lily nodded.

'Oh, yes, Harry. Because I have you.' They hugged for a long moment.

– – – – –

Two years later, Lily looked into her own eyes in Harry's beaming face as he read the letter out loud. '"Mr. H. Potter, Potter Cottage, Godrics Hollow. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

'"Dear Mr. Potter, We Are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

'"Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress."'

Harry looked up at his mothers face. 'Mum! I'm going to Hogwarts!' Lily smiled hugely back, even though a piece of her heart broke because her shy little boy was growing up.

**First Year**

On Platform 9¾, after helping Harry put his trunk aboard the Hogwarts Express, Lily Potter hugged her son tightly. Then she held his face eye to eye and said, 'Harry, it may feel hard, but don't be too shy. Make friends, study, learn things, play. You are starting an incredible adventure. The next seven years are going to be so full of marvels… just please don't be too shy. And write to me, yeah! Your Da gave you Hedwig so you can write both of us.'

'I will, Mum.' She hugged him again, then turned him and pushed him towards the train.

The next morning, Lily gave Hedwig an owl treat and undid the letter from her foot. She opened it carefully, and read.

__Dear Mum,__

__I'm here and I am a ___Gryffindor___! For a bit I wasn't sure I could do what you asked, but I found a seat next to a red-headed bloke whose name is Ron Weasley. We hit it right off, mostly because this smarmy pale boy with white hair and pink eyes said some mean things about Ron's family being poor and me being a mixed blood. He said something else about you that I didn't understand, but I won't say what because it really sounded not nice. Ron and I shared our sandwiches you and his mum packed. Then this really bushy haired dark-skinned girl came in with a big book. She knows a lot about Hogwarts.__

__When we got off the train at Hogsmeade, this enormous man, I mean really HUGE, was calling First Years and Ron and I went over to him. He looked at me and said, 'Yer'd be James and Lily Potter's boy, Harry, ri'? And yer'd be a Weasley. First Years, eh? Come wi' me then.' And we went with him and a lot of other kids our age and we rode the boats you told me about to the Castle. And I already told you the Sorting Hat put me in Gryffindor.__

__I really like my classes except our professor for Defense is really lame. He's that wizard that wrote all those books you read, saving people from werewolves and ghouls and stuff. I'm sorry, Mum, but he's really full of himself and he doesn't seem to actually know how to teach.__

__Professor Slughorn says to say "Hi," but it feels strange to be saying that.__

__I love you, Harry__

Lily shook her head smiling at the greeting from her old, and now Harry's, Potions professor. She folded the letter back into its envelope and put it into a wooden box. After she read the next letter, a couple weeks later, she did the same thing. The day after that the third letter came.

__Dear Mum,__

__Please don't be angry with me. I was just trying to help out another friend, Neville, he's in my year in Gryffindor and he's sort of shy too. Anyway, his mum sent him a Remembrall, and that smarmy boy I told you about, Malfoy, he took it from him before our first flying class. Neville isn't much good on a broom and hurt himself so Madam Hooch had to take him to Madam Pomfrey to be healed. And Malfoy said bad things about Neville and threatened to break his Remembrall and I told him to give it back and he took off on his broom. That's when Hermione said not to follow because we'd get into trouble.__

__I didn't even think about it I just took off after him. He'd been bragging about already knowing how to fly and being so good but he isn't really, I am way better, and wow, Mum, flying is wicked best and he just couldn't get away from me but before I could take the Remembrall he threw it. So I went after it and caught it just before it slamming into one of the walls and went back to the rest of the class. Then Professor McGonagall came out and called me and I thought I was in big trouble because Madam Hooch told us not to fly again until she came back.__

__But Professor McGonagall just took me to another classroom and asked that teacher if she could borrow some wood, but it wasn't wood it was Oliver Wood, and he's the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, and well, Mum, now I'm the youngest Seeker ever at Hogwarts after catching Neville's Remembrall and please don't be mad at me because you know how much I love Quidditch.__

__Oh, and Hermione and I are getting along better. We talked some during lunch one day, and she's just not used to anyone else in her classes being as smart as she is. She asked me why I do some of the potions work differently from our book, and I told her because I watch you and that's what you do is make potions.__

__Love, Harry__

She folded that letter too, putting it in the wooden box with the rest, sighed, and floo-called James to find out if Harry had written him as well. Harry had, and between them they decided he could play. James bought him a Nimbus broom. In the long run, that turned out to be the biggest excitement of Harry's First Year at Hogwarts.

Harry didn't tell anyone about the odd dream about a week before end of term. He'd stood alone in an empty room in front of a magical mirror, Mum and Da on either side of him in the reflection, and a lot of other people he didn't recognize but who looked like all the same family behind them. He woke up feeling a strange longing for a family, strange because he saw Mum and Da all the time...

**Second Year**

Lily held Harry's eyes, inspecting. Clean clothes, check. Eyeglasses, check. She combed her fingers through his hair, trying to smooth it down, but like his father's it just wouldn't settle. Right. Check.

'Your bag is packed?'

'Yes Mum, by the fireplace.'

'Don't forget, ask Mr. or Mrs. Weasley to re-enlarge your broom, not one of your friends. You've all still got the Trace on you, yeah.'

'Yes, Mum.'

'Your trunk is packed?'

'Yes, Mum.'

'You put your toothbrush in your bag, yeah?'

'Mum! It's all ready. Please, can I go now?' She smiled at him, indicating he should spin, and checked him over one last time. Then they walked into the kitchen to the large fireplace connected to the Floo Network. Harry picked up his backpack. Lily took a pinch of powder and tossed it into the flames.

'The Burrow, Molly Weasley,' she called, squatting down. Shortly, Molly's head appeared in the flames.

'That you, Lily?'

'Yes, Harry's all ready to come visit Ron. You?'

'Send him through, dear, Ron got out of bed uncharacteristically early today and is champing at the bit.'

Lily nodded, stood and stepped aside. Turning to Harry, she smiled. 'You know what to do,' she said.

'Are you sure you can't Apparate us?' he asked. Lily shook her head.

'No, I need to get to work, so I can get off work early and be there for the birthday party. I know you don't like the Floo. But off you go, now.' Harry sighed, took a bigger pinch of powder, and tossing it into the fire called out 'The Burrow.' Stepping into the rising green flames he disappeared-

-and spun dizzily out of the kitchen fireplace at Ron's house outside Ottery St. Catchpole, desperately trying to catch his balance and not fall. Ron grabbed his shoulders and steadied him.

'Hey, mate, I've got you,' he said, and then Harry set his backpack down as Mrs. Weasley gathered him into a hug.

'Come along to breakfast, now, Harry.' She levitated another platter of eggs and bangers off the kitchen counter by the stove and through the door. Harry followed and sat next to Ron at the big dining table facing towards the stairs and the archway into the sitting room. He nodded his head respectfully to Mr. Weasley at the head of the table, greeted Fred and George, and started helping himself to eggs, toast, and sausages.

He took his first mouthful when a clattering rumble descended the stairs into the room, a petite girl with a magnificent mane of red hair rubbing sleep from her eyes with small hands, a well-worn green plaid flannel dressing gown covering her. Her hands dropped as she stepped towards the table and his green ones met chocolate brown eyes that grew three sizes in shock. With a soft squeal she spun, hair flying as she dashed around her brother Percy, just stepping off the bottom step, and back up the stairs. Percy looked back up the stairs and then started towards the table. 'What got into Ginevra,' he asked, then spotted the dark, unruly hair. 'Oh, good morning, Harry.'

'Dunno what got into Gin,' said Fred.

'Came down the stairs as usual,' followed George.

'Wiping the sleep out of her eyes...'

'Just about to ask if the toast is ready...'

'Then her eyes got huge...'

'And off she went.'

'She'll be back if she wants brekkie,' Ron mumbled around a mouthful of bacon and toast.

Indeed, several minutes later Ginny Weasley stepped off the stairs, somewhat quieter than her earlier entrance and now dressed in short jeans and a t-shirt. She took a seat at the table, rather un-subtly __not watching__Harry, who started feeling a bit awkward at such non-attention.

'So Ginny, ' Fred started.

'What startled you?' finished George.

'Nothing.' The twins exchanged a look.

'Come now, Ginevra, you went running down the stairs in front of me, then bolted back up,' said Percy. 'Something happened.' Keeping her eyes firmly on her plate, Ginny shook her head rapidly. The rest of breakfast passed the same way, her brothers asking her questions that either received one word responses or something non-verbal. At one point when Mrs. Weasley asked her to pass the butter, her eyes connected briefly with Harry's. Her hand overshot the butter dish, and her elbow planted firmly into the soft, yellow mass. Harry couldn't turn his gaze away when her face turned scarlet, accentuating the freckles sprinkled across her forehead, cheeks, and nose.

Harry didn't see her much after breakfast. When Mrs. Weasley enlarged his Nimbus (magically shrunk for packing into his backpack), he did note Ginny looked on with interest. Mrs. Weasley then put her to work clearing the table and he, Ron, and the Twins set off for the home Quidditch Pitch and some flying.

'Ginny going to join us when she's done?' he asked Ron.

'Nah, she doesn't play,' he replied, and they pushed off to fly.

After lunch, Mrs. Weasley put them to work de-gnoming the garden for Harry's birthday party. Spotting Ginny a couple times looking out the kitchen window, Fred shook his head. 'Can't figure what's gotten into Ginny. Normally we can't shut her up.'

'And, she's pretty often given us prank ideas,' George added, 'Which, no offense, Harry, but a birthday party sans pranks...'

'Is no party at all,' finished Fred.

Lily arrived shortly after. Everyone enjoyed the party immensely. The biggest prank involved the candles on the cake. Harry blew them out, then they came back on. The second time, they re-lit in a flashing sequence, and the third time they erupted in a bonfire that then hovered over the cake forming the number '12'; everyone laughed at that part.

Harry couldn't get to sleep that evening. This had been the best birthday ever, with Neville flooing in, and Da and Padfoot arriving on Padfoot's motorbike. He saw Ginny standing at the end of the outdoor table when Da got off the bike, her mouth gaping, then she disappeared into the Burrow. Recalling these memories, he thought he heard a squeaking step downstairs, but the Burrow remained silent after that. Finally, though, he gave up trying to sleep and sat up to look out the window at the Quidditch pitch in moonlight.

Someone flew around the goals at one end.

Harry got up, putting on his jeans, and slowly climbed down the stairs trying hard to remember the ones the Twins told him squeaked. Easing out the kitchen door he trotted over to the pitch, stopping in some shadows. He watched, mouth gaping slightly in awe, as the flyer performed split-S's, Immelmann turns, barrel rolls, loops, and vertical climbs, leading into stalls and recoveries. At one point crossing the half-moon he noted long hair in a ponytail streaming out as the figure executed a flawless English bunt, and he realised it was Ginny up there.

She glided down gracefully a half-hour after Harry arrived, landing smoothly and stepping off the broom in a single motion that blended into walking towards the broomshed. She froze when he stepped out of the shadows, their eyes locked on each other's.

'That was brilliant,' he said after a long pause. She shook herself, tilting her head slightly.

'What?'

'Your flying, it's bloody brilliant! Ron said you don't fly, don't play Quidditch.'

Ginny snorted. 'Yeah, well, that's what all my brothers think. "You're a girl, Ginny, you can't play Quidditch, it's too rough,"' she said, and Harry was sure she impersonated one of her brothers but didn't recognize the voice exactly.

'They're idiots, then, if they can't see that.'

She smirked back. 'Yeah, well, they'll see it when I'm playing Chaser with the Harpies.' Harry laughed.

'How long have you been flying?' he asked, and her smirk got bigger.

'I started sneaking brooms out of the shed when I was six. You?'

Harry grinned. 'Uncle Sirius gave me my first training broom on my first birthday. Da gave me my first fly on my fourth birthday, told me not to tell Mum we were flying until I was seven.' He tilted his head as he saw her blush in the moonlight when he mentioned Da. 'That's why you ran out of the room when you saw me this morning!' She nodded.

'Your dad's one of the best Chasers in the League. I've studied his moves for these five years now. And then Ron writes home that he's best mates with you, and then you're the youngest Seeker ever at Hogwarts.' Harry chuckled, then shrugged.

'Just luck, I guess. Gryffindor's Seeker the last two years, her parents moved them to America last year and nobody tried out to replace her. Then Professor McGonagall saw me flying, and, well, there I was.'

'Hope I'm that lucky this year. I'm going to give it a shot, even though the rules say First Years can't play. I figure I can use you being on the team last year as leverage.' Harry smiled hugely.

'Good luck. Hey, you want to fly a bit more? I'll go get my broom.' Ginny's blush deepened again, and she scuffed one foot in the grass, slowly pushing the broom handle into the moonlight. The gold Nimbus logo glinted brightly. 'You nicked my broom?!'

'You wouldn't of known if you hadn't caught me just now. I always get them back just exactly the way I found them. All we've got are Cleansweeps. I was going to use Bill's this evening, but there was yours, and...'

He chuckled. 'We're good. What you think of it?' A huge smile lit her face.

'Wicked awesome!' They stood facing each other a bit. 'Well, here,' she said holding his broom out.

'Nah, you fly it. I'll go get one of the others, but you might need to put it back for me so no one notices, yeah?'

'Really?'

'Sure.'

They spent another hour flying before Ginny put both brooms back into their respective places on the rack. They flew together most nights after that. Though Harry used his own broom, he did let Ginny fly his on her birthday. When they got to Hogwarts that September, Ginny attended Quidditch tryouts as she promised, and refused to leave when Oliver Wood told her First Years couldn't play. Harry quietly told Oliver what he'd seen of her flying over the summer, and after trials finished, when most everyone left, Oliver watched her fly with longing in his heart. Harry was right.

Shaking his head when she landed, he told her, 'You'd be a great addition to the team. You're a better flier than Fred and George, definitely, but the rules are no First Years. Harry got onto the team last year because we just didn't have a Seeker. Tell you what, though, we'll call you an unofficial Reserve, and if someone is injured and can't play, I'll plead your case with Professor McGonagall.'

It was the best they could do. She came and drilled with the team every practice. Unfortunately for Ginny, but fortunately for the team no one got injured. She and Harry took to studying together in the library two or three nights a week. She started Harry plotting pranks, the two of them trying to out-do Fred and George. So impressed by each other's cool and daring, by the middle of the year Harry and Ginny became good friends.

Which made Harry wonder where the dream came from he had near end of term, in which he rescued Ginny from being eaten by a giant snake.

**Third Year**

Lily quickly folded up today's issue of __The Daily Prophet__and turned it over to hide the headline. Harry lifted his eyes from the article on the recent Puddlemere vs. Caerphilly game and looked at her across the small table, eating his granola. 'Who's Bellatrix LeStrange?' he asked, noting how Mum's face blanched. She sipped her tea while gathering her thoughts.

'So you saw the headline then,' she replied. Harry nodded.

'Rather hard to miss. Read it while nicking the Sports. Da's in the paper again, high scorer against Puddlemere.'

She smiled wanly at her son. 'Thank Merlin for good news, I suppose he's quoted multiple times on his skill.'

'He praised the team as a whole, and all the work they put in training, actually. But you're avoiding my question.'

'You are becoming quite perceptive, Harry,' she sighed. 'She is a rather unpleasant individual, quite bonkers. She was sent to Azkaban for torture - murdering a number of people, and I prefer to remember those individuals rather than her.' The look in her eyes convinced Harry he shouldn't ask any more than that, but he did want to know one more thing.

'I thought no one could escape from Azkaban.'

'So did the Ministry, but apparently this proves not to be the case. Now, finish breakfast, Harry. I think I'll floo-call Molly. It may be better if we combine our trips to Diagon Alley this year.'

The trip to Diagon Alley came off without a hitch. Lily took Harry to Madam Malkins for one set of new robes, asking again for this set to be made with extra hem. She'd already let down most of his older ones since he'd grown so much. Ginny purchased a Cleensweep from Quality Quidditch Supplies with money she'd earned over the summer. When Harry asked her what she'd done, she blushed and replied very quietly, 'Babysitting.' He glanced at Ron, who hadn't heard. Then he winked at Ginny who smiled back.

Everyone noted the wanted posters on display up and down the Alley. The tangle-haired gaunt-faced woman in the picture alternately screamed and laughed hysterically. Harry, Ginny, and Ron all commented that there were more DMLE officers about. So the two families bustled about acquiring the needed books, parchments, inks, and other sundry school supplies needed. Then they happily flooed to the Burrow from the Leaky Cauldron for tea before Lily and Harry returned to Potter's Cottage.

DMLE officers stood about Platform 9¾ when the students went to board the Hogwarts Express. Harry thought he saw Uncle Padfoot before they crossed the barrier from the Muggle side, but Lily pushed gently on his shoulder to keep him moving. As she hugged him before he boarded, Lily whispered into Harry's ear, 'If you see Uncle Remus, don't say anything.' She cupped his cheeks in her hands, emerald eyes meeting emerald, and he nodded his understanding.

When he boarded and saw Neville through a corridor window he entered his compartment. Neville raised his eyebrows while tilting his head towards the tall sandy-haired man in a patched tan blazer sleeping by the window, but Harry simply shrugged. Ginny and Ron followed him in, both pausing at the sight of the older man.

Ginny nudged him when they sat down and pointed to the battered leather satchel behind his legs.'RJL,' she whispered the initials engraved into the leather. Again Harry shrugged. The Express started moving, gaining speed as it moved through London and suburbs, and into the country where it picked up more speed. Halfway to Hogsmeade, it drove into a heavy rain, slowing due to the loss of visibility. The compartment grew darker under the thick overcast and rain.

Three-quarters of the way there, the Express suddenly slowed and stopped. Frost began forming outside the windows, and amid questions back and forth between the compartment occupants, a profound chill descended. Hermione and Ron were trying to look out through the frosted glass; Neville sat trembling, Harry and Ginny both shaking in their seats when the compartment door slid open to reveal a dark, hooded figure floating in the passageway.

'She is not here,' said the sandy-haired man, now sitting up with his wand pointed toward the figure. When the figure started to move into the compartment, he silently swept his wand in a circular motion and a silvery wolf sprang out of the tip. The floating figure retreated rapidly, pursued by the wolf. He stood, fishing a large bar of Honeydukes chocolate out of a blazer pocket and passed it to Harry. 'Stay here, and share this between you. It will help. I'll be back after I check the rest of the train.' He slid the compartment door closed behind him.

They shared the chocolate as he directed and it did help. A quarter hour later the train began moving again, and the man returned to the compartment. 'How is everyone,' he asked as he slid the door closed again. They all chorused, 'Okay.'

'What was that?' asked Hermione.

'A Dementor. They guard the wizard prison; the Ministry is using a score or so to search for the escaped prisoner, LeStrange.'

'I felt like I'd never be happy again,' said Ron. The man nodded.

'That's what Dementors do; they feed on excitement and happy feelings, summoning your worst nightmares. You're all well enough here? Chocolate helping?' They all nodded.

'Was anyone hurt?' asked Harry.

'Most of the students felt frightened and unhappy, as you did. The Sweets Witch is distributing chocolate now, free of charge. One girl, Katie Bell, fainted and is being cared for by her roommate.'

'She's in our House, a year ahead of us,' said Neville. The man nodded.

'Who are you?' asked Ginny. He smiled and nodded to her.

'Wondered when one of you would get around to that. I'll be introduced this evening at the Welcoming Feast, but for now, Professor Lupin at your service. I expect I'll be seeing all of you this year.'

No further disruptions occurred during the ride, and everyone arrived at the Castle only slightly the worse for wear. Professor Dumbledore announced the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Lupin, and no one cheered louder than Harry.

Ginny brought her new broom to Quidditch trials and walked right up to Oliver Wood. She stood there, left hand on her hip and right holding her broom, stared straight into his eyes, and said, 'Remember me?'

Oliver laughed loudly. 'I expected you, actually. Already spoke with Professor McGonagall, and if you're good enough, we should be in business. There's one opening for a Chaser this year.'

Ginny out-flew all the other want-to-be's.

Their first game, against Hufflepuff, dawned overcast with a light rain. The game started fiercely with both teams' Chasers pressing their attacks. Oliver proved a bit better than Applebee, the Ravenclaw Keeper. But both teams continued to score, with the numbers nearing triple digits. The rain and mist made spotting the Snitch nearly impossible, but Harry kept doggedly at it, thankful for the Impervious charm Hermione put on his goggles before the game started.

With the score tied at 180 each, Harry and Cedric Diggory both sighted the Snitch at the same time from opposite ends of the pitch. They both maneuvered for the catch, with the Snitch eluding both of them but staying tantalizingly close. As they both circled around from opposite directions for another go, the rain turned to sleet. Harry closed on the Snitch when her heard Ginny's cry, 'Harry! Katie!'

He looked back over his shoulder and saw a Dementor closing on Katie Bell, who rolled her head back and fell off her broom. Pulling high G's he did a tight reverse Immelmann and dove toward his falling teammate. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Ginny pass the quaffle to Angelina, then dive for Katie as well. More Dementors flew out of the clouds towards the limp body as the two Gryffindors raced towards her, making it to her a few metres above the ground. Each grasping one of Katie's arms, they pulled out of the dive, skimming the pitch by centimetres. As they slowed and landed, several silvery blurs streaked skywards, driving the Dementors away.

Harry stayed after Defense class next Monday to ask Professor Lupin what those shapes were. 'They were Patronus', Harry. That's the only way to protect oneself from Dementors,'

'I need to learn that.' Harry replied. Professor Lupin sat on the edge of his desk for a bit.

'It's really quite an advanced bit of Magic, Harry. Sixth years might be able to generate a non-corporeal patronus. You're only in Fourth year.' Harry glanced at the open door of the classroom. They could hear the bustle of students in the hallway, all heading for the Great Hall and lunch. He turned back.

'Uncle Remus, I nearly passed out on the train when that one showed up. I think the only reason I didn't on Saturday is because I was so focused on trying to catch Katie. I need to learn how to do this.'

He could hear the thoughts running through his teacher's head. One of his parents best friends, Harry'd been careful all term so far to never play the card that he'd known Professor Lupin all his life.

The man he knew as either Uncle Remus or Moony nodded. 'All right, Harry. We'll call it an extra credit project. How about we start this weekend, and you go along to lunch now.'

Harry's never been so glad to set himself up for extra work.

In May __The Daily Prophet__issued an Extra Edition reporting the capture of Bellatrix LeStrange by a team of Aurors led by Sirius Black. Three days later, the __Prophet__reported the Wizengemont convicted LeStrange of Escape From Prison as well as another torture-murder while evading capture, and sentenced her to The Dementors' Kiss.

**Fourth Year**

They gathered around the campfire and during dinner held a rousing discussion about the Quidditch World Cup. The Twins won a wager on the outcome, that Ireland would win but Krum catch the Snitch, and so he'd done with a perfectly executed Wronsky Feint. After pudding, with the stars providing a glorious ceiling to their outdoor dining room, Mr. Weasley told a funny story about a wizard meeting a Muggle. Then he asked, 'Who's next oldest, it's your turn.' So Sirius told a ghost story, the James Potter told a story about a bewitched Bludger that pursued only one player in a Quidditch game. Bill Weasley told a story (which felt to be true) about a cursed Pharoah's Tomb in Egypt. Charlie told about a dragon protecting its egg. Percy's story was, frankly, terribly boring. And so it went, on down the ages until it got to Harry.

Harry hated speaking in front of groups. Still, he'd figured out the story he wanted to tell:

Not terribly long ago, in a rather near-by galaxy, three best mates met at school. They did everything together, playing games, studying, going on hikes and camping trips. They did these things all the time, except...

Once every month, one of them said he couldn't come out to play, or hike, or study. He couldn't because his mum was ill, or his da, or maybe a cousin. Now, they were all wizards, and the other two friends started to notice that all these things that prevented their friend from being with them happened about the same time every month, only sometimes even twice a month.

They waited a bit after they figured this out, and they watched, because their best mate really was the best. He helped them with their revising, and helped a lot of the other students as well, and didn't even ask for favours back from them. He would bring food up from the Great Hall when some of their housemates didn't feel well, and could make bullies back down with just a look. But their best mate seemed to not believe that lots of people liked him. Sometimes he even seemed surprised that these two blokes liked him so much.

When they were sure, one night after everyone else went to bed, they told their mate they knew about his furry little problem. And their mate at first got a bit scared, but when he realised these two friends weren't going anywhere, he told them that yeah, when he was really young, a werewolf attacked him. Now every month at the full moon, he became a werewolf too. But he locked himself up in a special room, because he didn't want to hurt anybody.

All three of these young wizards were really smart. One of them went to the library and searched and searched, and learned that if werewolves found some animals that weren't afraid of them (and werewolves only seemed to attack humans), then those werewolves didn't seem to ever attack anyone and hurt them. Then the other one found a way for them to be with their best mate. It required a bit of time, and some hard work. They must chew a mandrake leaf for a long time, keeping it always in their mouth, never taking it out. They needed to collect special ingredients to brew a potion. Each of them had to brew their own potion, they couldn't share, and the last ingredient that went into the potion, on the night of the full moon, was the mandrake leaf they'd chewed for so long. If the potion didn't turn the right colour, or if it were exposed to sunlight, it would spoil and not work. Even after the potion came out right, they needed to wait for a big storm, and a lightning strike close to where they stored the potion.

But because they were best mates, and because they wanted their friend to be safe and not need to lock himself into a special room, they did all this. They did it in secret, because no one else knew their friend to be a werewolf. And when the potion brewed true, they waited, and waited, for the storm.

Right after the lighting struck and the potion turned a glowing gold colour, they drank it down in several big swallows. It tasted horrible, making them gag and want to throw up, but they drank it down. It caused them to shake and feel like they fire flowed through their veins, but they drank it down. Because their friend needed them.

At first nothing happened, and they worried they did something wrong and needed to start all over again. Then a couple weeks after they drank their potions, when the New Moon rose over the horizon and shown through the window of their dorm room, their best friend watched as first one became a magnificent stag, and then the other turned into a large black dog with floppy-tipped ears and a shaggy long coat. They looked at each other in the privacy of their room, and then their friend the werewolf cheered loudly. Then he got a concerned look to his face, and asked his friends if they were stuck.

With strong looks of concentration in their eyes, first the dog, then the stag changed back into their human shapes. All three friends hugged, and bounced from bed to bed, slapping each other on their backs and cheering. From that day on, when the full moon came and their friend, Moony, turned into a werewolf, he was joined by Prongs and Padfoot, and the three best mates would run in the woods and gambol about, and no one got hurt or bitten.

Harry looked around the campfire when he finished. He'd seen Da and Uncle Sirius smirk at him when he started his story, and he knew that they'd gotten the reference he put in to one of their favourite Muggle movies. But then Da got a concerned look on his face when he mentioned the 'furry problem'. Sirius on the other hand grinned even larger, and put his hand lightly on James' arm when he started to speak. At the end of the story, Sirius whispered something to James, who then smiled at Harry. Sirius winked. __They aren't registered__, he thought, realising that the Ministry didn't know about two Anamagi running around Britain.

Mr. Weasley nodded, gazing into the fire, the Twins looked at each other, and Ron whispered to Hermione, 'That wasn't really scary, though, aren't these stories supposed to be scary?'

Directly across the fire from Harry, firelight glinted and flickered from chocolate brown eyes and he thought that the gleam in Ginny's eyes came from the shifting reflections.

– – – – –

After the Sorting, at the end of the Welcoming Feast, when Professor Dumbledore announced that this year there would be no Quidditch games, Oliver Wood went spare. Even the announcement that the reason for this involved the Tri-Wizard Tournament, and that students from Beauxbatons in France and Durmstrang in Eastern Europe would come to join the competition, Oliver ranted that Quidditch could well be part of the Tournament. Only when Professor McGonagall caught his eye with a fierce glare did Wood quiet down.

And when Dumbledore then announced that only students of legal age could enter the Tournament, the Twins yelled the loudest about how unfair that seemed. They schemed to defeat the Age Circle that Dumbledore and the other two Headmasters, Madame Maxime and Karkaroff set around the Goblet of Fire. When the day came to put in their names on slips of parchment, the Twins walked up to the Circle, toasted themselves with their Aging Potions, linked arms and drank.

Then they stepped over the Circle. When nothing happened, the walked up to the Goblet and as they dropped their slips, with a loud CRACK! they rose up and flew backwards out of the Circle. Their parchment slips slapped their faces repeatedly, and they both grew grey beards down past their knees. Everyone in the Hall laughed loudly, then got very quiet when Professor Dumbledore walked up. He just grinned at the Twins, and said, ' You were warned.' Then he joined in the laughter with everyone else, even the Twins.

After dinner on All Hallows Eve, the Goblet spat three slips out in showers of multi-coloured sparks. Victor Krum of Durmstrang, Fleur Delacour of Beauxbatons, and Cedric Diggory from Hogwarts became the three Tri-Wizard Champions.

During their study sessions, Ginny and Harry speculated quietly what the three different tasks might be. While both were disappointed that Angelina Johnson's name didn't come out of the Goblet, they cheered on Cedric. After each Trial they compared the different moves each Champion tried. Both of them said they would summon their brooms and fly if they'd been in with the dragons. Harry figured he would simply fail totally in the Lake; he hadn't learned to swim until he started visiting the Weasleys during the summer and wasn't very good at it.

When the announcement about the Yule Ball came out, Harry dithered for some time before asking Ginny if she would like to go with him, as friends. Ginny apologised, since Neville already asked her and she accepted. Ginny suggested he ask her friend Luna Lovegood. Harry did, Luna accepted, and the group of them attended the Ball together.

They all waited excitedly during the Third Challenge, discussing quietly between themselves and their fellow Gryffindors where they thought the three Champions would be in the Magical Maze.

When Fleur Delacour appeared with the Tri-Wizard cup in her hand next to the Judges Stand, everyone gasped. Harry shouted, 'They turned the Cup into a portkey!' The Beauxbatons students all cheered loudly. Most of the others applauded as well. Ginny looking fiercely at the blond French girl, thought that if she could win the Tri-Wizard Tournament, then Ginny could definitely achieve her goals as well.

Harry, though, frowned; when Ginny asked why he said, 'Something's wrong. I think Cedric got hurt.' Shortly after a stream of red sparks rose from the Maze, and Professors McGonagall and Lupin apparated into the Maze, then out with Krum and Cedric. They came to learn that Cedric answered a Sphinx's riddle incorrectly and she stepped on him, breaking his leg.

**Fifth Year**

Following a summer when they visited frequently, either at the Burrow or in Godric's Hollow, Harry didn't see as much of Ginny in Fifth Year. They still studied together most days, plus of course Quidditch practice and games, as well as meals. Apart from that, he seldom saw Ginny. When he asked her what was up, she replied briefly, 'I'm dating Michael Corner.'

'But there's other times, like in the Common Room,' he replied.

"Well, I'm also working on an extra-credit project for Professor McGonagall. That's taking up a lot of my free time.'

After a bit, he stopped thinking about it because the stress about his OWL's kept increasing

Late afternoon on the first full day of Easter Hols, Uncle Padfoot dropped Harry off back at Potter Cottage after a country ride on his motorbike. Harry stood outside the gate waving goodbye. Sirius turned to wave back as he neared the intersection.

The car hit him hard, loud crunching noises as the Triumph tumbled and Sirius' head dented the bonnet, then his body flew through the air to hit a nearby oak tree as the car sped off. Harry started screaming Sirius' name as Lily, who came out the front door when she heard the bike, ran to him and gathered him into her arms.

Neighbors came out of their houses, and she could see Mr. Lloyd already on his mobile. Sirens grew louder as the Fire Rescue Brigade neared. Lily held Harry tight and slowly calmed him down.

Mrs. Weasley brought Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George to the funeral. Sirius once told James and Lily that he didn't want to ever be buried near any members of the Black Family. So James made arrangements in the Potter Family plots by St. Jerome's.

Ginny and Ron stood on either side of Harry as the pastor of St. Jerome's spoke at the graveside. He talked about celebrating a life tragically cut short by someone else drink driving. He spoke to a wicked sense of humour that occasionally got out of hand, counterbalanced by a sense of responsibility. He extolled dedication and service to the community as an Auror.

Harry's grief reduced all of it to mumbles.

After the pallbearers lowered the coffin into the grave, James and Lily started the procession, each taking a handful of dirt and dropping it onto the coffin. Harry followed, dropping his own. They stood aside as a family while the rest of the mourners passed, each handful landing on his godfathers coffin causing Harry to flinch slightly.

When Ginny went to the graveside after Mrs. Weasley and Ron, she caught Harry's eye and winked. Then she picked up the largest clod of earth she could using both hands and dropped it onto the middle of the coffin, grunting a loud 'Oof' that sounded just like Sirius. Fred and George were next, and when their handfuls landed multi-colored sparks rose out of the grave. Mrs. Weasley glared at them, but all the Potters grinned at the pranks.

After, during the wake at Potter Cottage, the press of sympathetic expressions and hand clasping grew too much for Harry. He escaped to the back garden, and sat in a corner on the low stone wall that served as a fence so he could see the cottage but look out over the fields. He wanted to go for a fly, but Mum told him not until after the gathering.

A few minutes later, Ginny followed him out. She didn't say anything, simply sat next to him. They listened to the breeze shushing through the trees and the murmuring susurration of voices from inside. Quietly she said, 'I can't believe he's gone. I keep thinking about him pranking the Twins at your birthday parties.'

Harry smiled (if a bit sadly), replying, 'Remember that time they tried to get on his motorbike? He was inside the cottage and couldn't even see them, and they wound up floating upside down above the bike.' They both chuckled.

'Evidently he lived a double life,' Harry said after a quiet gap. Ginny looked at him quizzically. 'He played bass guitar for a rock group called Flaming Nargles under the name Stubby Boardman.'

Ginny tilted her head. 'Luna,' she said, and Harry nodded.

'She means–' 'I like– ' they both started, stopped, laughed. 'You first,' said Ginny.

'I like her. She's not afraid to say what she believes, even if it sounds weird or unbelievable. She's honest. And when you think about it, there's always something real in what she tells you.'

Ginny turned her head to look at Harry. 'Are you afraid to say things sometimes, Harry?' He didn't look back, keeping his eyes on the ground, watching her out of the corner of his green eyes.

People say her hair is red, he thought, but it isn't, exactly, it shone burnished coppery satin with golden highlights accentuated by streaks of dark rosé. Her dark chocolate eyes always shone brightly with whatever she felt at the moment, laughter, mischief, anger, or now, grief.

The spray of freckles across her forehead, cheeks, nose, and her shoulders and collarbones (visible above the neckline of the dark blue peasant blouse she wore) reminded him of the Milky Way. He wondered at her curves and when had she gotten __breasts__, for Merlin's sake.

Harry blinked, the sight of Ginny replaced by a tumbling motorbike and a limp body and roaring streak of white and yellow and if only he hadn't stood there waving and went through the gate and Sirius hadn't turned to wave…

Green eyes opened again, focused on freshly greening grass at his feet.

'Yeah. Yeah, I am, sometimes.'

Her lips parted, she wanted to tell him she understood. That she'd broken up with Michael. But before she spoke Mrs. Weasley called from the kitchen door, 'Say goodbye to Harry, and come along Ginny, it's time to go home.' She rested her hand on his shoulder, warm, comforting, and said, 'See you back at Hogwarts, Harry.' Then she stood up.

Inside, through the kitchen window, Lily saw Harry turn his gaze to Ginny when she walked back to the cottage. She saw the look on his face while he watched the young redhead depart. Another small part of her heart cracked as she realized her baby no longer sat on her garden fence, but in his place a young man did.

**Sixth Year**

Harry froze when he saw the … __creatures__… in front of what last year had been a horseless magic carriage for the ride from the train station to the castle. Only they weren't horseless, though what sort of horses these were, with smooth leathery skin, wings, more reptilian than a horse head he felt unsure. Had they always been there?

'Yes, Harry,' said Luna, stopping next to him, and he realised he'd spoken that thought out loud. 'Aren't they beautiful? They're Thestrals.'

He looked at her pale face and blue eyes, the assorted flowers she'd braided into a crown while riding the Express from London to Hogsmeade circling her blonde hair. 'You see them too?'

'Yes. You can see them now because you saw Stubby Boardman die. It's really rather an honour of sorts, to be able to see them. It means you've learned a very important life lesson,' she replied, taking his hand and starting them moving towards the carriage where Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Ginny waited.

'Not sure I think of it as an honour, Luna.'

'Most people don't. But it is all part of the same. People are born, live, then die. It would be very crowded if we never died, don't you think?' He shook his head, once again struck by Luna's straightforward honesty, perhaps more grounded in reality than any of the rest of them. He didn't notice the look in Ginny's eyes as he and Luna arrived at the carriage, and he let go Luna's hand to help her climb in. The procession started towards the Castle when he sat down next to Ron.

Ginny didn't see the flash of annoyance in his eyes when three blokes seemed to Apparate (despite the Anti-apparition wards over the Hogwarts grounds) next to their carriage when they stopped before the big doors to the Entry Hall. He didn't remember the names of the two he recognized as Hufflepuffs, but he knew Blaize Zabini. Because she was walking in front of him, he didn't see the blaze in Ginny's eyes when the three started to regale her with stories of their individual summers and questions about her plans for the first Hogsmeade weekend. They finally broke off when the group entered the Great Hall and they all separated to their respective House tables.

'What was that all on about,' Ron asked Ginny as they sat down.

'How should I know, Ron, I didn't ask them over.'

'I don't like it, yeah? They've got no business...'

'And you've got no business deciding who I can and can not talk to or date, Ron. So shut it.' She glared at him as she walked over to a group of her own Year fellow Gryffindors, and Harry felt a bit annoyed that Ron's outburst seemed to push her away. But he held his tongue, sitting down and turning to be able to watch the Sorting.

And so it continued after classes started. Blokes from all the Houses seemed to follow Ginny like drones following a queen bee. Harry felt glad she still came to their study sessions in the Library, spending at least that much time with her. When Quidditch trials started, she once again came out for the team, but so did a bevy of blokes and a lot of them weren't Gryffindors. As the Gryffindor Captain that year, Harry sorted that lot quickly by simply asking everyone who was a Gryffindor Third Year or higher to raise their hands. With a score and a bit of hands in the air, he then thanked the rest for coming and dismissed them from the pitch.

When Madame Pince started interrupting their study sessions for the noise the various extra johnny come latelys made, Harry saw Ginny's glare. That evening when they left the Library for dinner, the crowd followed. Once inside the Great Hall Ginny stopped, put her fingers to her lips, and whistled sharply.

'Right, then,' she said to the assembled, attentive male and a few female faces, 'This is getting ridiculous when you lot start getting me banned from the Library. A girl's got to be able to revise, this is a school after all.' A low-level murmur swept across the assembly. 'So here's the thing. How many of you have seen a lynx-like golden red bobtail cat with darker red spots about on the grounds?'

A good number of people spoke up their assent. Harry had seen the cat himself, first time in fact when he walked back to the Castle from the Quidditch locker rooms after sorting kit following practice. Ginny nodded and waved her hand, and the crowd quieted again.

'Then it's like this. Any of you that want to ask me out, you go catch that cat. Once you catch that cat, bring it and talk to me. You come talk to me _without_ that cat, and _without_ my permission, you'll be breathing bats. Clear?'

The crowd thinned rapidly when she pulled her wand out from where it pinned her bundled hair, which cascaded around her shoulders. Harry swallowed hard at the coppery gold swirling around her fierce expression.

She sat between Herminone and Neville, across from Harry. Hermione looked at her sternly. 'Those idiots are going to be bothering that cat a lot now, Ginny. That was unkind.'

'Those idiots aren't going to get near that cat,' Ginny scoffed.

'So do I need to catch it to keep studying together with you?' Harry asked. Ginny smiled at him. He felt glad he was already sitting the way that made his knees feel.

'No, Harry, you're one of my best mates, and anyway we're study mates. You've always got permission to talk to me.' He nodded back.

'Still, Hermione's got a point,' he said. 'Hope that cat's quick.' Ginny's smile grew bigger.

'Trust me, Harry, there's only one bloke here at Hogwarts with a chance of it.'

Thus it started. The spotted cat would be sited and a bevy of eager blokes would stampede after it. Climbing a tree in the courtyard, leaping over to a balcony the cat disappeared. Or the group would give chase and down some stairs it vanished into darkness.

Harry saw the cat often, taking to studying outside when the weather stayed nice. He would talk to the cat quietly when it passed, and often nicked food from meals, which he would then set out a short distance away from him. When the cat came along, after watching him a bit measuring the distance between himself and the food, deigned to eat. He spoke quietly to it then, sitting still with whatever book he held in his lap. After finishing the snack one afternoon, the cat turned away from him and stretched before walking off, giving Harry enough glimpse to determine she was a girl cat.

One of those afternoons, in a courtyard he sometimes used for some privacy and because it provided shelter from the wind, before he could set out the bowl the cat ran into the courtyard and froze, realising the heavy door on the opposite wall was closed. Harry could hear feet running out in the corridor. The cat gauged the distance from the ground to a first floor open corridor. 'Psst,' he hissed, and the cat spun, crouching.

Slowly, Harry lifted his book bag from his left side and pointed behind the bush there next to him. She looked into the shadows at the gap between the bush and the wall, then silently stalked into the gap, turning around and lying down. Just as slowly, Harry replaced his bag next to him, helping obscure the cat, and whispered, 'There's a drain hole big enough for you in the wall, if you need it.' Then he turned back to his open book.

Zabini and another Slytherin, Theodore Nott, ran into the courtyard and stopped, looking around. When he saw Harry, Nott asked, 'Did you see that cat?' Silently, Harry pointed to the opposite wall, the rough stonework rising to the corridor. 'Damn,' said Nott, and they turned and left. Slowly again, Harry pulled out the small bowl, and set it down in front of the cat. She looked at him, sniffed at the chicken casserole, and started to eat. Harry turned back to his book.

Shortly the cat crawled over his bookbag and head-butted his wrist. He ran his fingers over her head and idly started scratching behind her ears. She leaned into the touch, purring loudly. 'I know you'd be up that wall quick, but they were pretty close behind. Might have nabbed you, yeah?' She looked at him, brown cats-eyes with slit pupils, then head-butted his arm again. 'Don't suppose you'd tell me your name, would you? I'm Harry.' She regarded him silently. 'Didn't think so. Well, good luck, and I'll keep an eye out for you.' Yawning, she stretched out next to his leg and lowered her head. 'Or, yeah, take a nap. Anyone comes, I'll nudge you.'

When he started stowing his books a half-hour later, she stood, stretched, and with a final look wandered off.

He started putting the food bowl down next to him after that, and after she'd eaten the cat would strop against him, mrowling happily. He'd tell her about his day, what course he studied at the moment, and he swore she paid attention. Winter came, and he would see the cat outside and hold a door open for her to come in. She'd find him in an empty classroom, laying down on a desktop next to him as he read and revised. As cats will, she never deigned to reply to his question about her name.

Come March and the snow beginning to melt, Harry stared at his Potions text not reading and trying to decide if he dared ask Ginny if she'd like to go to Hogsmeade with him the next weekend. True to her word when this started, several blokes had run from her with bats flying out their noses after they'd asked her to accompany them somewhere, without the cat in their arms. Then the cat was there, curling up on his open textbook and looking at him.

'Well hullo,' he said, reaching out and scratching behind her ears. She purred loudly as he did so, pressing her head into his fingers. 'Maybe you can help me. You're a girl cat after all, so you may have some insight. There's another girl here I'd like to ask out, but she's been at sixes and sevens with blokes bothering her all year. Not really receptive, if you know what I mean.' The cat tilted her head, pressing up against his fingers again.

'So maybe you'll tell me what I can do to let her know I, uh, fancy her?' The two of them looked at each other for a bit. Then suddenly she turned her face away toward the door, tail twitching rapidly. 'Yeah, didn't think so,' Harry said. Pushing his chair back from the desk to prepare to leave, the cat jumped into his lap and sat, pushing her head under his hand again.

The door burst open and Michael Corner stood there, gaping at the shining red spotted cat in Harry's lap, eyes closed and purring as he scratched behind her ears. Blushing in surprise, looking at Corner, Harry's fingers stilled.

'What the hell, Potter, when did you catch the cat?' Slowly, Harry rested his hand lightly on the cats shoulders.

'Not sure I did, exactly,' he replied. Corner smirked at him, then shrugged.

'Well, she's sitting in your lap. That's pretty definitive. I guess I should congratulate you, yeah? See you round.' He turned and walked back out, closing the door behind him.

Harry turned to the cat, who now was watching him. 'But I didn't catch you. You're always free to go.'

And then Ginny Weasley was sitting in his lap. 'Whoa! Where'd you come from?' Ginny smiled at him. He realised his hand still sat on her left shoulder and started to move it, but she reached up and rested her hand on his.

'Right here,' she said, grinning. He looked into chocolate brown eyes, at freckles sprinkled across nose and cheeks.

'You're the cat! You're an Animagus! When?' She smiled and again he felt glad about sitting, above and beyond that she sat in his lap. __Ginny Weasley is sitting in my lap___, _he thought.

'Last year, but finished through the summer. Remember that extra-credit project with Professor McGonagall I told you about?' He nodded. 'It took forever to get a lightning storm to strike close enough. Then it took a few weeks to feel the transformation start.' He reminded himself to breathe as she continued to stare into his eyes.

'But why?'

'Remember that story you told, Harry? After the World Cup?' He nodded. 'I love that story, how really good friends would do something like that. And I could see your Dad Dad getting concerned, then Sirius calmed him down with a touch. I already knew Professor Lupin is a werewolf, and then it dawned on me, they're Prongs and Padfoot. Sirius had got to be Padfoot, right?'

Harry nodded silently, his mind buzzing and nose twitching at the scent of her, his heart racing at her presence.

'So I talked with McGonagall when we started back that Fall, and she outlined what I needed to do. Fall and most of Winter I spent just studying the whole process before she'd let me start. It's actually quite dangerous; if the witch or wizard isn't totally committed, or there's any slip, it can result in some pretty drastic injury when the first transformation happens.' Harry gulped.

'You could be stuck?' he asked.

'Or not be able to clear off all the animal skin when you do change back. And there's no way to predict what animal you'll become. I actually sort of hoped I'd turn into a mare. I like horses. But I like cats, too.' Harry nodded, slowly.

'Then I had to practice the transformation, a lot. The Ministry wants a lot of hours practice before they will register an Animagus. Oh, and there's some other rather embarrassing things to do yet also. I need to be photographed so they can document my markings.'

'As a cat?' he asked. She chuckled, deep, throaty.

'As a human, too. The photographs have to show everything. That's why I'm a spotted cat, my freckles.' Harry felt his heart skip a beat at the thought of seeing _all_ Ginny's freckles.

'Everything?' She nodded, brown eyes gleaming, grinning at him. 'No clothes or anything?' Her grin got bigger when he blushed deeply. 'Er, who...'

'It will be a witch doing the photographs. I'll be standing in front of a grid for height and other measurements. Front, both sides, and back. Professor McGonagall says it's all very clinical. Not sexy at all.'

'Er, what?' But she didn't answer, simply continued looking into his eyes, and he remembered his hand on her shoulder. Her face while she sat in his lap was just a touch lower than his. she whispered, 'So anyway, thanks for helping me out while I pranked those blokes about dating me.'

'Uh, no worries. Only right. I mean...' Ginny chuckled.

'That's the thing, though, Harry. You helped a cat. You didn't know I'm that cat, but you helped.'

'I just did what anyone would.' Ginny shook her head.

'I don't think just anyone would have helped that house elf by tricking Mr. Malfoy into giving him a sock like you did my first year, Harry.' He shrugged. 'Well, then, what about giving Colin a new camera after Crabbe and Goyle smashed his during the Tri-Wizard?'

'That was Sirius, not me.'

'You told Sirius what happened, and don't deny it because I overheard.' Harry blushed. 'That's one of the things I love about you, Harry, you are always looking out for other people. So, who's the girl?'

'Er, what?'

'The one you told me about just before Corner came in.'

'Oh, right. Well...'

''Because you've got it right, Potter. You can't catch a cat by chasing her. She decides who she likes and doesn't.'

He pulled back enough to see her whole face, her shining dark chocolate eyes, the smirk on her face, the grin lifting the corner of her lips. He felt her warmth she sat so close. Images of her standing to be photographed wearing, well, _nothing,_flashed through his mind, and then his traitor hands pulled her closer and he pressed his lips to hers.

He'd only kissed one other girl before. At Yuletide. Under mistletoe. And it had been wet, and awkward, and short. But this, this felt soft, warm, __right__. Then he froze and started to pull away. Ginny's hand came behind his head, fingers weaving into his hair and pulled him back into the kiss.

Time slowed. He was kissing Ginny Weasley. Kissing. Ginny. And Ginny Weasley kissed him back, __Enthusiastically__.

When the need for air caused them to both break apart, their noses still touching, breath mingling, his hands card into her hair and rubbing behind her ears. Their lips pressed again, briefly, then pulled apart far enough for dark chocolate and emerald eyes to loose themselves in each other. _I was just kissing her, he thinks, then she kisses back hard. He's kissing Ginny Weasley and she's kissing him back! Again!_

They broke for air again, but his fingers continued to scratch behind her ears, fingernails lightly gliding over her scalp. 'Mmm, Harry, that feels just as good now as it does when I'm a cat. Don't ever stop, yeah?' He chuckled. 'Plus, the first thing I saw of you, right after I got down the stairs that summer, I figured out quick that no, that wasn't James Potter sitting at Mums table, because he doesn't have gorgeous green eyes. That's what made me run back upstairs. And you caught the cat the right way, so yes, I will be more than happy to go to Hogsmeade with you.'

– – – – –

**Epilogue**

Lily came downstairs into the kitchen at Potter's Cottage and found Jamie at the table, reading the Sports section of the Daily Prophet. A pot of tea sat on the table, and he poured some into her empty mug on the table next to his seat, then added milk and honey as she liked it. Smiling at him she sat, lifting the mug and sipping the hot tea. Closing her eyes, she sighed.

'After all these years, you still remember,' she said quietly.

'Always,' he replied. He looked up from the paper when the pecking started at the window. Rising, he opened the window and let Hedwig in. She proffered her leg for him to untie the envelop, then flew to her perch for a drink and some food. Looking at the front, he set it down in front of Lily. 'It's addressed to both of us.'

She looked at it, brow furrowed slightly. 'Did you tell him you'd be here?'

'I might have let slip that you offered, after Sirius died, when I went through that rough patch,' he replied. She glanced at him, then opened the letter and read it out loud.

'Dear Mum and Da, Hope this finds you well. I'm sure Da told you we won our second match, against Ravenclaw, so there's just Hufflepuff to go. Think we've got a good shot at it; the team is tight and we've been practicing some new moves for the Chaser's that Ginny thought up.

'Speaking of Ginny, Da asked the last time he was here if I was dating anyone. At the time I wasn't, but something's changed, and now Ginny and I are going to Hogsmeade and things. Don't worry, Mum, we really do study when we're together for that, but after that we're … well, still doing things together. So don't be surprised if we are hanging together after the Hufflepuff game, whichever way that goes.

Love, Harry.'

Grinning widely, she passed the parchment over to Jaimie. 'Our son isn't a little boy any more, yeah? Dead spit of you indeed, Potters and redheads. You did give him The Talk, right.' He chuckled, sliding the letter back over to her.

'Yes, in fact, Sirius and I did that together. I like Ginny's PS too.' She looked up.

'There's no PS.' He smirked at her, his gorgeous blue eyes glinting.

'There is now. And it is, apparently, history repeating indeed, though not exactly. Yours are one of the first things I noticed about you.'

Puzzled, she turned the parchment under his fingers so she could read it. They both gasped slightly as a PPS appeared.

__PS, Mrs. and Mr. Potter, Harry doesn't know I charmed this so he won't see it before he sends this off. I am so happy we've gotten together, because I've waited so long to get him to realise I fancy him as much as he fancies me. He's kind, thoughtful, smart, and really good at Quidditch. He sees what sort of person you are, not only how you look, and if that weren't enough there are those gorgeous emerald eyes of his.__

__PPS, your secret is safe with me, Prongs. Don't be surprised if Harry shows up with a cat...__


End file.
